1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement for automatically refuelling cars or other automotive vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
An arrangement for automatically refuelling cars is described in Swedish Patent Application 8901674-5 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,034).
This known arrangement comprises a robot which includes a refuelling pistol or corresponding device. The arrangement also includes a sensing and control device which functions to move the refuelling pistol automatically from a rest position to the vehicle refuelling location, subsequent to the vehicle having been manouvered into a predetermined position relative to the robot. The refuelling pistol includes a rigid, first tubular element or pipe which is moved by the robot towards a receiving plate provided with an aperture incorporated in the vehicle refuelling location. A flexible, second pipe is displaceably mounted within the first, rigid pipe and can be moved from a first end position, in which the outer free end of the second pipe is located within the first pipe, to a second end position in which the second pipe projects out from the first pipe. A pipe connection is provided between said aperture and the tank-located vehicle refuelling pipe or tube. The robot is constructed to move the refuelling pipe out of the free end of the second pipe and down into the pipe connection or down into the vehicle refuelling pipe, and fuel is pumped through the second pipe down into the vehicle tank.
One problem with this arrangement, however, is that it is necessary to equip the cars with a special adapter having a cap which can be opened by the robot head in order to establish communication between the head and the vehicle refuelling pipe.
An advantage would be afforded if it were possible, instead, to retain the original petrol-cap cover plate of the car, i.e. the plate mounted on the car chassis and covering the space in which the petrol cap is located. In this case, a petrol cap constructed in accordance with the aforesaid patent specification would be required inwardly of the cover plate, in order to guide the flexible members of the robot head into the vehicle refuelling pipe. The problem remains, however, of constructing the robot so that it is capable of opening and closing the cover plates of different car models.
The problem primarily consists in the fact that many different designs of car cover plates are found. The majority of mode cars, however, are equipped with a cover plate which lies in line with the surrounding outer body panel and which can be swung between a closed and an open position about a vertical axis. Normally, a recess is provided in the outer body panel or an outwardly curved surface is provided on the cover plate, so that a finger can be readily inserted between the plate and the outer body panel with the intention of opening the plate. The design, however, differs widely from car to car.